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Homeless Bird

Gloria Whelan,

Ida Wajdi (Translator),

Jia Effendie (Goodreads Author) (Editor)

4.04 · Rating details · 12,218 ratings · 1,516 reviews

Seperti kebanyakan gadis lainnya di India yang berusia tiga belas tahun, Koly pun harap-harap cemas akan rencana pernikahannya. Walaupun dia ingin menikah, dia tidak mau meninggalkan keluarganya.

Ternyata, pernikahan itu tidak sesuai dengan apa yang dibayangkan. Sebuah peristiwa tragis mengubah segalanya dan dia menemukan dirinya terasing di keluarga barunya.

Dia terjebak d ...more

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Paperback, 182 pages

Published by Atria (first published March 1st 2000)

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Average rating 4.04 ·

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· 12,218 ratings · 1,516 reviews

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Dec 02, 2010 karen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: and-so-this-is-grad-school

please don't arrange my marriage.

and if you must, please don't marry me off to some sickly bitchy thing who will soon die and trap me in my inlaws' house where i will be a burden and where they will treat me like a servant but i won't have anywhere else to go until they in turn ditch me in some creepy city where discarded widows try to make a go of it.

just don't do it.
it is the worst.

this book is pretty good, but my warrior-liberated-woman parts gag when confronted with these types of situation ...more

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Mar 28, 2017 Always Pouting rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I know this book is probably for like middle schoolers but I loved it. Koly's parents marry her off without seeing the groom and she ends up married to a sick boy whose parents needed the dowry money for his treatment. It all works out as well as you'd expect but eventually she rebuilds her life. I honestly felt so upset for Koly and the way she was treated through out the book. I loved the writing and the narrative and the details the author added only pulled me in to the story more. I can not ...more

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May 19, 2017 Bren rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of beautifully written Historical Fiction.

Shelves: animals, historical-romance, coming-of-age, educational, family-drama, friendship, great-for-book-clubs, social-issues, cultural, feminism

"I stitched the marketplace stalls heaped with turmeric and cinnamon and cumin and mustard. I embroidered vegetable stalls with purple eggplants and green melons."

Gloria Whelan-Homeless Bird

"Immediately I knew that it would be the homeless bird, flying at last to it's home."

Gloria Whelan-Homeless Bird

My review:

This book won the National Book award. I can see why.

Koly’s story will Resonate with anyone of any age so though this may be classified as young adults or children, I would urge anybody of ...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Kelly rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grades, asian-and-asian-american

Gloria Whelan's Homeless Bird is a pleasant enough story. Predictable and pleasant. It is a fast read and Koly is a likable protagonist.

But shortly after beginning the book I stopped to research the author. As I suspected after my first few pages of reading, Whelan herself is neither Indian or of Indian ancestry and has never traveled to India. I believe that it IS possible for writers to write successfully outside of their own experiences, but I am EXTREMELY wary of authors who attempt to write Gloria Whelan's Homeless Bird is a pleasant enough story. Predictable and pleasant. It is a fast read and Koly is a likable protagonist.

But shortly after beginning the book I stopped to research the author. As I suspected after my first few pages of reading, Whelan herself is neither Indian or of Indian ancestry and has never traveled to India. I believe that it IS possible for writers to write successfully outside of their own experiences, but I am EXTREMELY wary of authors who attempt to write of places, cultures, social classes, and experiences that are not their own, nor even similar. To do so requires incredible amounts of research, intense self-reflection, a willingness to consult and learn from others who are more knowledgeable, and an intentional effort to present a truthful, unbiased reflection of reality -- even in the writing of fiction. In fiction like Homeless Bird, the setting is taken as truth by an audience, in this case most likely American children, who may not have the knowledge or experience to spot cultural misrepresentations.

As a white woman living in the woods of northern Michigan who has never traveled to India, it is possible that Whelan could write a truthful reflection of India culture and customs. But, I have a gut feeling telling me to be concerned. Whelan's own words, from her website, don't bring me any comfort. She says, "Sometimes I write about places that are far away or about earlier times. This gives me a chance to live in other countries and in other times -- at least in my head. The research for these books is like a treasure hunt, I never know what I'm going to find. I’ve made imaginary trips to China, India, and Vietnam." As a reader, I want to know that these imaginary adventures into the "exotic" are supported by hard researched, intensely fact checked effort. I am unconvinced.

I lived and worked in India for a portion of this year and I worked with children Koly's age coming from villages and families like Koly's. India is a big place and a vast array of experiences coexist within India culture and customs. Arranged marriages, dowries, and child brides still exist (as does sati -- ceremonial widow burning -- which Whelan seems to deny as something of the past no longer practiced (pg. 34-35)). Similarly, urban life does include Indians dressed in jeans and t-shirts, air-conditioning, and opportunistic men and women (who exist everywhere in most cultures). To me, reading Koly's story felt like a Western voice telling an Eastern story. It did not feel like an Indian voice, born and raised in Indian culture, telling her own story in her own voice.

And that is big problem because Homeless Bird is a National Book Award winner, which means it is frequently used in classrooms, likely as "diversity enhancement." And to read of Indian culture in an inauthentic voice is dangerous and disrespectful. There is so much wonderful literature written by Indian writers, and I am nervous what half-truths and misperceptions might be taken away from a reading of this book by young people, particularly if their teacher is not him- or herself aware of the potential pitfalls of including a text like this in the curriculum without intense critical reflection and the addition of other primary sources.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it threw up red flags for me about the authentic representation of Indian life and culture. ...more

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Jun 05, 2016 Mohammed Rasheen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

a simple short book with a story which will stay in my mind for long, loved this book to the very end. it works as a story of human persistence but very little about Indian Culture. very motivating and satisfying. wish this book was bit longer.
rating 4.5

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Jan 30, 2017 Noah Pindak rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: rereadable-material, fiction, books-i-own

Koly is forced into an arranged marriage, with a cruel mother-in-law, a sickly husband, and a spoiled yet sweet sister-in-law. She learns to read, and yearns to flee. But one day, she is no longer a homeless bird.

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Jan 13, 2019 Justin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So emotional and touching. This book has been a pageturner. The book is full of death, love, hope, and the cruelness of the world.

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Sep 12, 2008 Lanier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So there I was in an English Department meeting and Tasche says, "You really should've read this book," since it was on the incoming Freshmen's Summer Reading list. I sat there dumbfounded, not realizing it was on their reading list nor that I had actually read it three or four years ago. It's not that it's a nondescript book, quite the opposite, but you know how it is sometimes when you've zipped through so many short-short good reads and you forget one because a more powerful novel by Rabindra ...more

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Nov 08, 2014 Angela Kidd Shinozaki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is such an inspiring story of finding home. I could not put it down until I finished it. I've met Gloria Whelan, who lives in MI, and she's a wonderful lady. It's fascinating that she can weave such seamless tales of different places and cultures using her own research and imagination. I was amazed to learn what happens to widows in parts of India, left to starve, homeless and often penniless. It's shameless and cruel. But the real heart of the story is in the innocent and somewhat naïve bu ...more

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Feb 12, 2016 dianne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, india

This YA story of an arranged marriage between a girl (13) and a rickety family that only wants her dowry so they can take the almost dead "groom" to Varanasi to be saved by Mama Ganges. Didn't work and she's stuck in this horrible situation waiting on the evil mother in law hand and foot, without even the thought of consummation to remember - oh, yeah she's 13, that's a blessing. This well written story varies significantly from the usual they married me off to an evil/old/abusive/gay/perverted/ ...more

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Oct 30, 2015 Izcalli Gamez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

To be honest I read this book because one of my teachers said I had to or they'd give me a red slip for being unprepared. So I read it and this book was amazing. This book is realistic-fiction.
A 13 year old girl named Koly needs to get married. When she finally does her new husband falls deadly ill. meanwhile the mother n' law hates her. Soon koly falls to be a Widow and so does her mother n' law suprisingly. Her new mother then takes her and koly to a city a very famous city. A city known for ...more

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Feb 14, 2008 (B) Archer at KIPP rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone who has ever felt lonely before

Recommended to (B) Archer by: Ana Lia Diego

Shelves: girls-have-read

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelanis about a girl named Koly who lives in a poor village in India; and she is 13 years old and she has to get married so that the food in her house could go around. So they marry her off to a "16 year old", but in reality he is 13 years old and he is very sick. Her mother-in-law is very cruel to her because she does not want her to see her husband, they want to take Hari (her husband) to "the Holy Ganges" to heal him.Turns out that Hari dies and Koly has to live with ...more

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Jun 05, 2008 Linda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A coming of age story of a different sort. Koly is married off to a boy she's never met--a boy who is ill and she learns the only reason she was married to him was so his parents could gain the dowry to pay for his medical care. Soon Koly is widowed and must face a difficult life against the difficult traditions of her culture. Beautiful and tragic. Grades 4 - 7.

From VOYA:
"Despite the obvious elements of fairy tale—cruel mother-in-law, attractive young male coming to the rescue—the book does not ...more

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Dec 07, 2016 Cole rated it it was ok · review of another edition

It wasn't that good but it was ok ...more

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Jun 23, 2020 Sofia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 10, 2020 TJL rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: well-developed-characters, very-interesting, no-preaching-thank-god, this-book-broke-my-heart, main-character-is-awesome, pulled-off-so-well, amazing-writing, fabulous-characters, fave, i-loved-the-main-character-s-voice

I read this years ago and couldn't find it for the longest time. I was shocked to find it on the shelves of my local bookstore without evening looking.

Great book, short and simple but with a really in-depth and fascinating look into the life of a child widow in India. ...more

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Jul 06, 2014 La Coccinelle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade

This is the type of story I usually end up liking. I find it fascinating to read about other places and cultures. While this book definitely had strong settings and a good backdrop of cultural traditions, it wasn't as engaging or as complex as I wanted it to be.

Please, dear author, I want some more...

I've read a couple of books now that are set in present-day India (well, this one is sort of current; it was published in 2000, so while we do get glimpses of some modern-day features, it does s ...more

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Jan 18, 2019 Michael Fitzgerald rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I felt this was a book of missed opportunities. Despite the unusual setting, so much of the story was superficial, hackneyed, and predictable. While Mrs. Mehta was supposed to be predictable to readers (but not Koly), I saw Raji coming a mile away. It also seemed unnecessarily tailored to modern western readers - arranged marriages are bad and work (even piecework) is better than true devotion to the family and home (even in a non-arranged marriage). You go, girl! Rah rah rah. Bas.

Also, the who I felt this was a book of missed opportunities. Despite the unusual setting, so much of the story was superficial, hackneyed, and predictable. While Mrs. Mehta was supposed to be predictable to readers (but not Koly), I saw Raji coming a mile away. It also seemed unnecessarily tailored to modern western readers - arranged marriages are bad and work (even piecework) is better than true devotion to the family and home (even in a non-arranged marriage). You go, girl! Rah rah rah. Bas.

Also, the wholesale severing of all communication between Koly and her family after her marriage was not believable. While they didn't need to be the simple answer to her predicament (a la The Prodigal Son), I just find it hard to swallow that there would be no letters, phone calls, visits - nothing. I think this might also play into the modern values that the author wanted to teach: family is unimportant and they will not help you or sacrifice anything about their outdated high-and-mighty "honor" for your benefit.

I was hoping for more about Mrs. Devi or about Mr. Das - maybe Koly's embroidery reminds one of them of the gorgeous embroidery done by a woman in a village that turns out to be Koly's mother and there is a reunion with all the tears one could want.

There's a big emphasis on reading, but I also feel that for all that, it was underplayed. Here's a homeless girl who can do beautiful embroidery AND she can read and write - why is she stringing flowers and beads? Someone in Maa Kamala's employment agency failed to conduct a comprehensive skills assessment on this girl.

There are also some issues in this book about lying/withholding the truth - Koly never spills the beans about the bridal veil because she's afraid of Maa Kamala learning about her other lie. So the people who are best to her get treated the worst, and there's no comeuppance. Honesty is the best policy; what a tangled web we weave - not utmost in priorities here. Besides, do we really believe that the incredibly generous and kind Maa Kamala is not forgiving and compassionate, what with all she has seen? The withholding the truth from the family is at least somewhat understandable due to the "family honor" thing, but here we have those who have already been shamed and discarded. Yes, Maa Kamala is trying to instill (or at least enforce) some morals, but making mistakes, confessing them, admitting to failure, etc. wouldn't break the whole system. It would strengthen and enhance it. Again, a missed opportunity.

I did enjoy a lot about the book, mostly regarding the setting, and wish I could give it three stars, but these flaws keep surfacing. ...more

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Jul 29, 2009 Samantha rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

After reading Homeless Bird I felt like sighing. Not because I was relieved it was over, no just the opposite. I've read a lot of boring and mediocre books lately, it was a relief to finally read a good one. Homeless Bird wasn't just good, it was a wonderful, deeply moving novel that kept me engrossed from begining to end. The main character is Koly, a thirteen-year-old girl living in India. Her parents are looking for a husband for her, who's family will take her in despite her small dowry. Kol ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Jiji Tharayil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

When I first started reading the book, I was slightly disappointed and thought of giving up after a few pages. Although the story looked promising, and the set up and background seemed raw and beckoning, the writer seemed to be in a hurry to finish the story. The description was too straight, and emotions were described plainly, not doing much justice to the character and her experiences. For a while, I even wondered if I had picked up a children's book.

However, I'm glad I went through further.

...more

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May 01, 2008 The other John rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: schoolbook, lifeinforeignlands

This is a tale of a young girl from a traditional Indian family, Koly, who is subjected to an arranged marriage. (What date this story is set, I don't know. I'm assuming it's a modern day setting as the book mentions color photographs and computers) As you might guess from the title, it doesn't quite work out very well. How it doesn't work out, I won't reveal. It was an interesting tale, well worth checking out. The characters are done quite well, with a bit of depth to them. Koly especially is ...more

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Aug 28, 2009 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, childrensliterature

What a precious story! It was short but lacking nothing, I loved it! The journey of a young girl in India whose life is changed forever when her arranged marriage comes with a heartbreaking surprise. Whelan's writing has a beautiful simplicity, I could almost taste the spicy samosas and smell the bright orange marigolds in the streets. She made traditional Indian society come to life through her descriptions. I loved the way I couldn't predict what would happen from one point to the next, and th ...more

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Mar 08, 2010 Philip rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, possible-ss-7th-grade

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 17, 2017 The Reading Countess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lit-circles, middle-grade, social-justice

The majority of the book is sad, full of terrible twists of fate and caused by the custom-laden culture of India. I knew/know little about the Hindu traditions and learned quite a bit. While some might view HOMELESS BIRD as too simple of a story to tell such a complex tale of cultures steeped in tradition, I do think this would make a great intro to younger readers. There is much to discuss, and it would make a great lit circle book. Fair warning: marijuana is mentioned at a party and a provocat ...more

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Sep 26, 2017 Jackson Abells rated it liked it · review of another edition

Homeless Bird is an excellent book which gives an interesting look into Indian culture. While the source of conflict does jump around a lot, it is consistent with what that main problem is -- Koly, the main protagnist, cannot find a home to stay in. The amount of detail in the writing makes the first person perspective feel like the reader is viewing this story directly from Koly's eyes. A lot of that detail is thanks to Gloria Whelan's use of similes in this novel. For example, Koly equates her ...more

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Jun 30, 2008 Emily rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: 6th and 7th graders

Recommended to Emily by: my teacher

This story is a Hindu story about a girl who is told she is getting married at the age of 13. Then later she finds out the person she is supposed to get married to only wanted to get married for the dowry (Hindu term for gift to get married to the person, in other words, she had to give the family of the man she was marrying a gift, like money to marry him) so they can pay for him to go to The Ganges and get healed because he is very ill. The story gets worse and worse for Koly (main character) ...more

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Oct 28, 2019 Emily Castillo rated it liked it · review of another edition

Homeless Bird, by Gloria Whelan, is a book about a young woman in India. Koly is a poor girl in India. When her family needs more money for food, they arrange for her to marry a young man in a different city. When she meets her husband, she learns that his family has been keeping many secrets.

I enjoyed learning about life in India in this book. I thought the characters were really interesting. I especially liked how persistent Koly was. You should read this book if you're interested in differen ...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Christine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adolescent-lit

Homeless Bird is the first book in a long time that I could not put down once I started reading it! It is so good! Very well written, vivid word pictures made me feel like I could see the settings and heard the sounds, like I was getting to know the characters. I loved the ending. I know that not all books can have happy endings, but I love it when they do, so touching. Made me think of Cinderella. She deserved to find happiness after going through so much sorrow! Loved it!

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Jun 25, 2017 David Buhler rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, anthropology

This book illuminates the customs and way of life in India with light that is both bright and soft as twilight as it and tells the story of a of a girl married to a sick husband. Soon she is a widow. Her adventures lead to city life and finally to a peaceful country life. It ends there before we can read of her new home in the peaceful countryside.

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Dec 28, 2010 Michele rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-of-2011

Literary excellence. Winner for a reason.
So incredible to see what so many young girls go through there. How many marriages have been made the same way? Millions? Billions? So much unhappiness there and yet somehow she was saved by love.
Loved it, a must read!

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. A book about an Indian girl. [s]	3	25	Nov 22, 2019 01:33PM
Diversity in Young Adult Literature	1	8	Nov 16, 2015 11:54AM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Book about a girl in India [s]	4	49	Oct 26, 2014 01:35PM
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About Gloria Whelan

Gloria Whelan

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Gloria Whelan is the best-selling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award; Fruitlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect; Angel on the Square and its companion, The Impossible Journey; Once on This Island, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award; Farewell to the Island; and Return to the Island. She lives with her husband, Joseph, in the woods ...more